Kirk simply broke Vulcan tradition by a) shooting Spock's dead body into space and b) not returning his katra. Sarek wanted to bury Spock at home and store his katra somewhere.

They never intended to put Spock's katra back into his body.
The intended to get Spock's dead body (the USS Grissom had reported the finding of the torpedo) and then get McCoy to Vulcan. They were just really lucky that they found Spock alive, and then attempted a different Vulcan procedure that hadn't been performed for centuries.

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Ah, but the "different Vulcan procedure" existed, so Kirk simply took Sarek's information--and based on his belief that Spock might be revived (strngly implied in his TWOK log), it was no great leap to assume Spock's living soul could have its physical home again.

Kirk also never thought Genesis would revive Spock. He simply started to think positively. Spock died, and an entire new world was born at the same time. He was just being sentimental in his log entry.

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There's nothing in that final scene suggesting sentimentality or anything else--other than a belief that Genesis might restore spock--particulalry since a conscious choice was made to send Spock's tube there, instead of space. Further, Kirk just witnessed the effect of Genesis literally creating life from a lifeless world, so his log entry reads as acknowledging the technology's potential--that Spock might benefit from the Genesis effect.

There's nothing in that final scene suggesting sentimentality or anything else--other than a belief that Genesis might restore spock--particulalry since a conscious choice was made to send Spock's tube there, instead of space. Further, Kirk just witnessed the effect of Genesis literally creating life from a lifeless world, so his log entry reads as acknowledging the technology's potential--that Spock might benefit from the Genesis effect.

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He simply assumed that Spock (or rather Spock's body's matter) would be a seed for new life. As they discussed before they were attacked by the Reliant, Genesis would erase existing life and reorganize it (that was Spock's own comment that got McCoy pretty upset).

Had Nimoy never returned to the franchise, Kirk's log entry would still be the same, but Spock would have stayed dead.

If I had reviewed that script before production, I would have made some serious alterations to it. Just for Enterprise, I'd have Riker call Picard and apprise him of the situation, so that when he came back from the Nexus he could warn the Enterprise, they would chase the Klingon ship away and blow the hell out of Soran's installation.

Kirk lives, Enterprise is saved. Yay for everyone.

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Yup. I don't know how someone can argue against GEN for worst plot-hole offender.

The entire third act is a plot hole.

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Not only that -- as bad as it is -- but the entire set up at the beginning of the movie doesn't match the pay off. Kirk is set up as being unhappy in a quiet retirement. We're practically beaten over the head with the idea that Kirk needs to be right in the middle of the action. So what, according to the Nexus, is his greatest wish? A quiet retirement. WTF?

Picard, on thje other hand, has been thinking about the family life he sacrificed. But he's the one trying to convince Kirk to leave the Nexus. Logically, the way the movie was set up, it should be Kirk convincing Picard to go back. I understand this is a TNG movie and the writers wanted the hero, Picard, to take the active role. But, in that case, they needed an entirely different story setup for both characters. Just criminal writing, throughout the film.

It's a pity "Generations" is such an irredeemable mess, as I thought it had the most potential of all the TNG films. I only saw "Nemesis" once, so I don't remember the plot holes, but that movie would have had to work hard to have as many holes as "Generations."

Picard, on thje other hand, has been thinking about the family life he sacrificed. But he's the one trying to convince Kirk to leave the Nexus. Logically, the way the movie was set up, it should be Kirk convincing Picard to go back. I understand this is a TNG movie and the writers wanted the hero, Picard, to take the active role. But, in that case, they needed an entirely different story setup for both characters. Just criminal writing, throughout the film.

Lots of the movies suffer from "the Enterprise is the only ship in range".

Back in the 1980s I remember reading a review of III that made some very good points about the plot. For example why wouldn't the Federation authorise a ship to go and get Spock's body. And why,if Genesis is so sensitive, would they not send more ships to guard it. But looking past that, why do they even need his body? McCoy has his katra so why not just take McCoy to Vulcan? They don't know that Spock's body is alive at that point.

There's a line in IV that goes something like "the president said the transmissions were directed at the oceans" and then they deduce they were directed at humpback whales. But as far as I remember the president doesn't actually say the transmissions were directed at the oceans! (I guess a line was cut.)

Generations is just a mess, but I will sum up my thoughts with "Why doesn't Soran just fly a ship into the nexus?" It worked for him before. And i remember the Nitpickers guide made a very good point that even if the star blows up the MASS of the star is still centered on the same place it was in, therefore the nexus wouldn't change course.

It's a pity "Generations" is such an irredeemable mess, as I thought it had the most potential of all the TNG films. I only saw "Nemesis" once, so I don't remember the plot holes, but that movie would have had to work hard to have as many holes as "Generations."

In TWOK only thing that got me was Chekov mentioning the things in the ear and McCoy totally ignoring it.

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Chekov said that Khan put the eels into their bodies. McCoy had no way of knowing that he meant their ears. He also had no surgical equipment with which to remove the eels, which had integrated themselves into the central nervous system.

NightJim said:

However, the Enterprise arriving at the Genesis Planet, sees no ships because the Klingon Bird of Prey was cloaked. What about the Grissom's wreckage? That'd have been a nice little nod to have Kirk on edge, which wouldn't have hurt.

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Grissom may have been destroyed on the far side of the planet. Also, Kirk asked Chekov to perform a short-range scan of the area, so Enterprise may not have cast a wide enough net to pull in any information about Grissom's demise.

NightJim said:

Enterprise's self destruct acts like explosives are ringing the ship, which is a rather terrible design decision. Surely it'd just be warp core exploding. But the engine's are completely intact. It's the saucer section that explodes.

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Several novels mention different types of auto-destruct sequences used to destroy a ship. Warp-core breaches are used in deep space. Ringed explosions are used near a planetary body to avoid taking out the planet when the ship explodes.

It's a pity "Generations" is such an irredeemable mess, as I thought it had the most potential of all the TNG films. I only saw "Nemesis" once, so I don't remember the plot holes, but that movie would have had to work hard to have as many holes as "Generations."

There's a line in IV that goes something like "the president said the transmissions were directed at the oceans" and then they deduce they were directed at humpback whales. But as far as I remember the president doesn't actually say the transmissions were directed at the oceans! (I guess a line was cut.)

There's a line in IV that goes something like "the president said the transmissions were directed at the oceans" and then they deduce they were directed at humpback whales. But as far as I remember the president doesn't actually say the transmissions were directed at the oceans! (I guess a line was cut.)

FEDERATION PRESIDENT (on viewscreen): This is the President of the United Federation of Planets. Do not approach Earth!
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (OC): The transmissions of an orbiting Probe are causing critical damage to this planet.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (on viewscreen): It has almost totally ionised our atmosphere.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (OC): All power sources have failed. All orbiting starships are powerless. The Probe is vaporising our oceans.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (on viewscreen): We cannot survive unless a way can be found to respond to the Probe. Further communications may not be possible
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (OC): Save your energy, Save yourselves.
FEDERATION PRESIDENT (on viewscreen): Avoid the Planet Earth at all costs. ...Farewell.